Engine starter



30, 1932- M. B. JACKSON ET AL 1,874,298

ENGINE STARTER Filed March 51, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E JL- INVENURS. W

1932- M. B. JACKSON ET AL 1,874,298

ENGINE STARTER Filed March 51, 1930 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 30, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAUNSELL B. JACKSON AND KENNETH M. CLIIESHAM, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOBS TO LEASIDE ENGINEERING COMPANY LIMITED, LEASIDE, CANADA ENGINE semen Application filed March 31, 1930. Serial No. 440,824.

This invention relates to starters for internal combustion engines of'the type in which the starter pinion is moved manuallyinto meshing engagement with theengine gear and more particularly 'to the type ofstarter disclosed in our co-pending application No. 399,845, filed October 15, 1929,-in whicha manually operable member is adapted to engage, seriatim,'two oppositely directed cam faces whereby the pinion may be turned first in one direction of rotation and then in the other direction to bring itinto meshing registration with the gear during one continuous movement of the member. The cam faces are formed on a sleeve whichis connected with the pinion by means of a clutch adapted to permit slippage between the sleeve and pinion whereby themember may complete its engagement with the first cam face to engage the second orreverse cam face should the first turning movement of the pinion be checked. This construction necessitates a large turning component of the force exerted by the member against the cam faces to tend to turn the sleeve and thereforeonly a correspondingly small axial componentis provided to tend to move the sleeve axially. It

is therefore necessary to provide separate means for presenting the pinion to thejgear to ensure meshing of the pinion therewith. The object of the present invention is to provide a starter of this type'in which the above objectionable features have beeneliminated and the construction has been simplitied and strengthened.

We attain our objects means of the con structions briefly described as follows. A.

slidable and rotatable outer sleeve, disposed on the armature shaft of the starter motor and telescoped on an inner sleeve; has pin and inclined slot connections with the inner.

sleeve. The latter has a disengageable' drive connection with the starter pinion. Normally a spring holds thesleevesin their extended positions with the pins engaging the inner,

ends of their respective slots. The outer sleeve is provided with two-steeply inclined faces which diverge in 'oppositeadirections from the axis of the sleeve to form an obtuse angled corner'between them, One of these faces is steeper than the other and a pin on a manually operable lever'is adapted to en- .mentof the pinion and inner sleeve will be stopped and the continued pressure of the pin on the steeper face will compress the spring and shift the outer sleeve relative tothe in- ;ner sleeve. The pin and inclined'slot connect ons Wlll thus cause one sleeve to rotate relatlve to the other whereby the pinion will be turned in onedirection of rotation relative. to the outer sleeve, or the latter will be turned in the opposite direction of rotation relative to the'pinion. The reaction caused by the spring between the pin on the lever and the steeper inclined face tends to resist the turning, of the outer sleeve relative to the pinion so that the latter will tend to turn rather than the sleeve. i

If the turning of the pinion by the pin and inclined slot connections be checked the above mentioned resistance will be overcome and the sleeve will be turned relative to the pinion to move the obtuse angled corner past the pin on the lever so that this pin will engage the other inclined face. y

The continued movement of the pin along the last mentioned face willlcause a continuation of the reverse movement of thepinion. When the latter clears the gear, the spring a will .be free to enter the pinion into mesh-' ing relationship with the gear.

The constructions are hereinafter more fully described and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, partly in side elevation, of our starter showingpthe parts thereof in their normal or inoperative positions; 1

2 a diagrammatic view showing a development of part of the sleeves and illustrating the relative positions thereof whenabutment between the pinion and gear teeth occurs;

Fig. 3 aview similar to Fig. 2 showing 7 the relative positions of the parts when the pinion has been turned to clear the gear;

Fig. 4 a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the relative positions of the sleeves and pinion when a corner jam occurs;

Fig. 5 a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the outer sleeve turned to reverse the direction of rotation of the pinion to relieve the corner j am Fig. 6 a view showing the positions of the parts when the pinion has been partly meshed by the spring after the corner jam has been relieved; and

Fig. 7 a diagrammatic view showing the pinion fully meshed and the spring slighty compressed when the lever closes the Y switch.

' similarl sha Jed teeth 10 on the inion and y l P which may be formed on the ends of the teeth of the latter. The outer sleeve 6 is adapted to slide over the pinion clutch teeth 10 and is provided with a rigidly attached bearing 11 which is slidable on the shaft'2 to support the inner end of the sleeve. The outer end of the outer sleeve is supported by a bearing 12 which is slidable on the shaft 2 and engages the inner end of the inner sleeve 8. A spring 13 engaging the bearings 11 and 12 tends to maintain the inner ends of the inclined slots 7 in. engagement with the 'pins 7 of the pin and slot connections 7.

The outer sleeve 6 has a substantially U- shaped cam slot 14 having faces 15, 16, 17, 18, a recess 19, and a corner 20. A pin 21 on a manually operable lever 22 initially engages the recess 19 to position the face 15 for engagement by the pin when the lever is operated. The face 15 is inclined to the axis of the sleeve 6 in the same direction of inclination as the slots 7 but at a much steeper angle to the axis than the angle of the slots 7. The face 16 is inclined to the axis of the sleeve in the opposite direction of inclination to the face 15 and intersects the latter to form the obtuse angled corner 20. lVhiie the face 16 is also steeply inclined relative to the inclination of the slots 7? it is not so steep as the face 15. Both the faces 15 and 16 are inclined at pushing angles rather than turning angles while the slots 7"* are inclined at a turning angle rather than a pushing angle.

Assuming the parts are positioned as illustrated in Fig. 1 with the pin 21 held by the usual spring 23 in the recess 19, the

mode of operation is as follows: The upper end of the lever 22 is moved by any suitable means to the left to move the pin 21 to the right and into engagement with the steeply inclined face 15 whereby the outer sleeve 6, spring 13, and inner sleeve 8 will be moved as a unit to engage the teeth 9 with the teeth 10 on the pinion 4. The latter will thus be moved towards the gear 5 and, if the pinion teeth happen to be in alinement with the spaces between the gear teeth when the pinion reaches the gear, the continued axial movement of the sleeve 6 will move the pinion into engagement with an abutment The starter motor 1 will be energized and the sleeves and pinion returned to their initial positions as hereinafter described.

If the pinion teeth collide with the gear teeth the axial movement of the inner sleeve 8 and the pinion 4 will be stopped, see Figs. 2 and 4. The continued movement of the lever will cause the pin 21 to press against the face 15 andmove the outer sleeve 6, against the compression of the spring 13, relative to the inner sleeve 8 and the pinion 4. The pins 7* are thus moved along their slots 7 to turn the inner and outer sleeves 8 and 6 relative to one another. The compressed spring causes the steeply inclined face 15 to react against the pin 21 to tend to prevent the outer sleeve 6 from turning relative to the inner sleeve 8 so'that the latter and thus the pinion 4 will tend to turn rather than the outer sleeve 6 (see Fig. 3). Immediately the pinion teeth clear the gear teeth the spring 13 is free to expand to its initial position and mesh the pinion with the gear. The continued movement of the pin 21 against the face 15 will move the pinion into engagement with the abutment 24.

Should this turning movement of the pinion be checked, as for example by a corner jam of the teeth of the pinion and gear, the corresponding turning movement of the inner sleeve 8 will also be checked. The pins 7 will therefore travel down the slots 7 and turn the outer sleeve 6, against the reaction of the face 15 and pin 21, in a direction of rotation opposite that imparted by the said pin and slot connections 7 to the inner sle ve L andpinion 4. The sleeve 6 is thus turned relative to the pinion to move the face 15 out of engagement with the pin 21 and the corner past the pin so that the latter now engages the face 16, see Fig. 5. This turning movement of the sleeve 6 will be continued by the continued pressure of the pin 21 against the face 16, which will result in the sleeves G, 8; and pinion 4 being turned as a unit in a reverse direction of rotation. lVhen the pinion teeth clear the gear teeth, the spring 13 will move the pinion into meshing relationship with the gear and the continued movement of the pin against the face 16 will move III "lever 22 may be continued against the com i pression of the spring 13 to close a switch 25 wherever the pin 21 be found when the me pinion ment 24.

into engagement with i the abut- As'hereinbefore described the angle of the face 16 is a pushing anglerather than a turning angle butas'this face isnot so steep as theface 15, the pin 21 co-acts with the face 16 to tend to turn the sleeve instead of tending to prevent it from turning as in the case of the re-action between the face 15 and the pin The turning component of the force exerted by the pin 21 against-either of the faces 15, 16 is small in comparison with the component tending to movethe sleeve 6 axial ly and never becomes sufli'ciently greatto cause the clutch teeth 9, 10'to' ride over one another. Therefore the inner sleeve 8 and pinion 4, while pressed against one another by meansof pin 21, face 15 or 16, spring '13 and gear 5, will be turned as if they were one piece. Any rotary or axial movement of the outer sleeve 6 relative to the inner sleeve 8 will thus be relative to the pinion 4.

After entrance of the pinion has been effected and meshing thereof has been completed, by the spring 13 and/or the pin 21,

with the pinion in engagement with the abutment 24 (see Fig. 7), the movement of the for energizing the motor 1. During the last mentioned movement of the lever 22 the p n 21. may be engaged with either the face 15 or '16 depending on whether the entrance ofthe f pinion took place without any, or during its initiah'turnin'g movement or during its re-- verse turningmovementrespectively. But

starter motor is energized to rotate the shaft 2 in a clockwise direction of rotation and thus the pinion 4, clutch teeth 9 and 10, inner sleeve 8, pin and slot connections 7 and outer sleeve 6, the pin 21 will under normal starting conditions travel over the face 16 and face 15 or the face 15 alone,as the case may be, and will engage the face 17 to return the sleeve 6 to its initial position against a brake washer 26.3 The inner sleeve is moved back by the pin and slot connections 7 with the outer sleeve 6. As hereinbefore mentioned the spring 18 is compressed before the switch 25 isclosed so thatthe expansion of the spring will initiate the. return movement of the outer sleeve as soon as the faces 15, 16 are turned out of engagement.

with the pin 21 and the friction of the hearing 11 on the shaft 2 will assist in turning the sleeve to wormit along the pin 21. 7

When the engine starts the P1111011 will be. automatically demeshed by its threaded connection 2 with the shaft 2 and this demesln :spring 23 will then actuate the lever. to, move the pin 21 along thexcam' face 17 untilthe pin engages the recess 19 which positions the sleeve 6 so that the pinwillengage the face 15 when the lever 22 is again actuated to start theen 'ne. w

If t e pinion should be presented tog the gear while the latteris rotating ingits nor- 'mal direction ofrotation, the pinion 4 and thus the sleeves 6 and 8 will be turned by the gear 15in a forward direction of rotationso against thegear. v i a i The partsare prevented fromibeing damaged, i the pinion be presented to the gear while it is moving in a backward direction of rotation, by the leg 14 ofthe slot 14which;

Should provides clearance for the pin 21. the operatorcontinue the movementiof the .lever22 until it closes the switch 25, thershaft 2 will be rotated to'drive the pinion 1-4 and thus rotate the sleeves 6 and 8 in a forward;

direction whereby the face 18 on. the wallof the slot leg 14 wi1l engage the pin 217 0 return'the-sleeves.

In casethe shaft2 is-stillrunninglwhen lever 22 is actuated, the sleeves 6 and 8 will turn with the pinion 4 to bring the return face 17 into engagement with the pin 21 whereby the sleeves will be returned to their normal position without pushing the pinion against the ear. 1 s r hie the pinion is shown and described as initially turning in a forward direction of rotationthat is to say in its direction of rotation while drivingthe gear, it isobvious that the direction of inclination of the slots 7 and the faces 15 and 16 could be each reversed solthat the pinion would be turned backward initially. ,1 L

. It-is also obvious that any meanssuch as a straight spline or overrunnlng clutch may be substituted for the helical spline 2 m drive the pinion 4 from the shaft 2. As this invention relates chiefly tothe mechanism for entering the pinion the latter may bewithdrawn from the gear by any suitable well known meansbetween the sleeve 6 and'the pinion 4 instead of the well known automaticejecting means shown and described herein. What weiclaim as our invention is'f J 1. An engine starter including a rotatable shaft; means for connecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started comprising a pinion movable into meshwith the gear v and a manually operable device for moving the pinion into meshwith the gear, the said device including provisions which operate in case the pinion collides with the gear to-producejrelative rotation of said pinion and device, thesaiddevice also including provisions, which are conditioned for operation b the relative rotary movement of the device and pinion in case the pinion fails to mesh during the said relative movement, to produce a rotary movement of the pinion into meshing registration with the engine gear while the pinion is being pressed against the engine gear.

2. An engine starter. including a rotatable shaft having a starter pinion mounted thereon for longitudinal movement thereof to mesh with a gear of an engine to be started;

a member slidable and rotatable on the shaft ment with the gear, of a rotatable and slidable' member having a driving connection with the pinion; and a manually operable member, the rotatable member having provisions for engagement by the manual member to push the pinion towards the gear and having separate provisions for engagement by the manual member to turn the pinion, the said rotatable member also including provisions for positioning the second mentioned provisions for engagement by the manual member in case of gear tooth abutment.

4. In a mechanism for connecting a rotatable device with a gear, the combination with a pinion adapted to be shifted into engagement with the gear, of a rotatable and slidable member having a driving connection with the pinion; a manually operable member, the rotatable member having provisions for engagement by the manual member to push the pinion towards the gear and having separate provisions for engagement by the manual member to turn thepinion, and means for rotating the pinion and rotatable member relative to one another in case of gear tooth abutment whereby the second mentioned provisions will be positioned for engagement by the manual member if the pinion teeth fail to clear the gear teeth.

able device with a gear, the combination with a pinion adapted to be shifted into engagement with the gear, of an outer sleeve having two inclined faces, an inner sleeve having an inclined plane connection with the outer sleeve and a drive connection with the pinion; and a manually operable member adapted to engage one face to move the pinion into mesh with the gear and to move the outer sleeve relative to the inner sleeve in me of gear tooth abutment whereby the pinion and outer sleeve will turn relative to one another to position the other face for engagement-by the member if the pinion is still abutting the gear.

6. In a mechanism for connecting a rotat-- able device with a gear, the combination with a pinion adapted to be shifted into engagement with the gear, of an outer sleeve having a face steeply inclined in one direction to the axis of the sleeve and having another face inclined in the opposite direction to that of the first face to form an obtuse angled corner between them; an inner sleeve having an inclined plane connection with the outer sleeve and a drive connection with the 'tioned face to reverse the direction of rota-- tion of the pinion if its first turning movement be obstructed.

7. An engine starter including a rotatable shaft; a pinion threaded thereon and shiftable into engagement with a gear of an engine to be started; an outer sleeve having two faces; an inner sleeve having a pin and inclined slot connection withthe outer sleeve and a drive connection with the pinion; a spring tending to extend the inner sleeve rela-- tive to the outer sleeve; and a manually operable member adapted to engage one of the faces to move the pinion into mesh with the gear and to move the outer sleeve relative to the inner sleeve in case of gear tooth abutment whereby the pinion and outer sleeve will turn relative to one another to position the other face for engagement by the member if the pinion is still abutting the gear.

8. An engine starter including a motor having an extended shaft; a pinion threaded thereon and shiftable into engagement with a gear of an engine to be started; an outer sleeve having a substantially U-shaped slot having one leg inclined to the axis of the sleeve, the portion of the slot between the legs thereof forming two intersecting faces;

an inner sleeve having a pin and inclined 5. In a mechanism for connecting a rotatslot connection with the outer sleeve and a drive connection with the pinion; a spring tending to extend the sleeves relative to one another; a switch for controlling the supply of energy to the motor; and a manually operable member adapted to engage one of the faces to move the pinion into mesh with the gear and to inove the outer sleeve relative to the inner sleeve against the compression of the spring in case of gear tooth abutment whereby the pinion and outer sleeve will turn relative to one another to clear the pinion teeth or to position the other face for engagement by the member if the pinion is still abutting the gear, the manually operable member also being adapted to close the switch to energize the motor, the other leg of the U- shaped slot being adapted to free the manual member should the pinion contact with the gear while it is moving in a backward direction and the said inclined leg of the slot being adapted to engage the manual member to return the sleeves to their initial positions when the motor is energized. Y

9. An engine starter including a rotatable shaft having a starter pinion mounted thereon for longitudinal movement thereof to mesh with a gear of an engine to be started; a manually operable member; a slidable and rotatable sleeve having a face adapted to be engaged by the member to move the sleeve axially; an inclined face on the sleeve adapted to be engaged by the member to turn it in one direction of rotation; and means interposed between the sleeve and the pinion for changing an axial movement of the sleeve into a relative rotary movement of the pinion and sleeve in case of gear tooth abutment whereby the pinion may be turned in one direction of rotation to clear its teeth or the sleeve may be turned to bring the inclined face into engagement with the member to turn the pinion in the opposite direction of rotation.

aging means relative to one another wherey the engagin means may engage the sec- 0nd mentioned ace in case of gear tooth abutment.

Signed at the city of Toronto, Canada, this 27th day of March 1930.

, MAUNSELL B. JACKSON.

KENNETH M. CLIPSHAM.

10. An engine starter including a rotatable v shaft having a starter pinion mounted thereon for longitudinal movement thereof to mesh with a gear of an engine to be started; a manually operable member; a slidable and rotatable sleeve having an inclined face adapted to be engaged by the member to move the sleeve axially; a second inclined face on the sleeve adapted to be engaged by the member to turn it in one direction of rotation; and means interposed between the sleeve and the pinion and having a disengageable driving connection with the latter for changing an axial movement of the sleeve into a relative rotary movement of the pinion and sleeve in case of gear tooth abutment whereby the second face will be moved into engagement with the member if the pinion fails to clear its teeth.

11. An engine starter including a rotatable shaft having a starter pinion mounted thereon for longitudinal movement thereof to mesh with a gear of an engine to be started; a member slidable and rotatable on the shaft and having a drive connection with the pin 

